The Power of Creation Myths

This week, we will be diving into three major themes in creation narratives – “Brahma Creates the World” and Izanagi and Izanami- alongside its social impact and relevance today. The following topics are based on the discussion I have had over the last few days with my group members. 

The Void 

What is the void? Is there an external force that persists to exist within nothingness? One way that cultures have conceptualized the “void” is what is known as creationism, the belief that God created the universe and the various forms of life out of nothing. Also, known as the Latin word Ex nihilo. In “Brahma Creates the World,” it begins with Shri Maha Vishnu resting on the great serpent called Ananta-Shesha. They are both float on the “waters of chaos” (p. 230 para.7).

On the other hand, Japanese myths narrate that the world is encapsulated in a cosmic egg. In the chaos, the egg separates to form two realms- heaven and earth, which then after Izanagi and Izanami are created. The following excerpt summarizes their pre-creation:  

“Before there were Heaven and Earth, there was darkness. In the midst of this darkness, was a swirling mass in the shape of an enormous egg, containing all of the things.” (Passanito, 2017)

While creation myths exhibit considerable variation, there is one motif that remains relatively common across cultures: the primeval waters. Primeval or cosmic oceans are often used to symbolize chaos and disorder, reflecting crashing and churning waves. Thus, we observe both myths interchanging the words- “chaos” and “water.” 

Another fascinating observation is how cultures, from thousands of years ago, were able to contextualize and visualize the concept of the void. But nowadays, even the most brilliant thinkers have difficulty rationalizing a space where pure nothingness takes place. We live in a society that puts its trust in science and technology to answer the phenomena of this world. But consequently, we slowly move away from origin narratives; thus, myths become a “thing” of the past. Yet, I rebuke this claim because technology and science do have their limits. There are questions that even science cannot answer, but myth and religion can answer. Maybe this is why science and religious worldviews do not oppose one another, but instead complement one another. 

Worshipping the Body 

The Latin word for “seed” is “semen,” which is why male sperm is often referred to as “seeds.” It is an excellent analogy to help convey the cycle of life and alludes to why creation myths emphasize the use of bodily functions and fluids. In particular, the gods used every single part of their body to create lifeforms, thus implying the divinity of their bodies. In other words, it is a devotion to their bodies in which all life blooms.  Looking at “Brahma Creates the World,” demons were born first coming from his thigh, then gods endowed with goodness came from his mouth, then the ancestors were created and emerged from his side and so forth (pp. 229-230). 

The narrative “Origin of the Japanese Islands…” also explores the use of every single part of Izanami as she becomes ill and passes after giving birth to the God of fire. A clear example is:

“The name of the God born from her vomit was the Metal Mountain God. The names of the gods born from her feces were the Clay Earth God and the Clay Earth Goddess.”(p. 307, para. 5)

Flashing forward, some would argue that society has deviant from the celebration of life and creation but on a path of destruction. Yet, we can also still observe in some parts of the world the worshipping of bodies. For example, in Western culture, we see the devotion to a female’s belly transformation in their journey towards motherhood. It is quite typical for new families to have pregnancy photos as well as documenting their childbirth. I noted this contemporary example to display that despite these creation myths occurred generations ago, we still see the ripple effects happening today. I will leave with a question: Do you think these myths and superior deities teach us a moral lesson about the scarcity of life? 

Gender and Myth

Gender is an area that has many interpretations, but in general, the myths presented had some form of gender equality/inequality. In particular, one can argue that there are apparent gender equality and inequality between Brahma and Izanagi and Izanami stories. To illustrate, one explains that Brahma created everything with the intention that there is an equal opposite force- good and evil, light and dark, and man and women- to ensure balance. On the other hand, Izanagi and Izanami have different social standings because they failed to have children due to the women speaking first. 

However, another could argue that gender inequality was not an indicator of difference but a similarity between both myths. When looking at other creator deities alongside Brahma, there is a gender inequality between Vishnu- the sustainer of life- and his wife, Lakshmi. Lakshmi represents the feminine principle and massages Vishnu’s foot as a “good wife will” (p. 230, para. 7). Thus, the “feminine principle” portrayed women as servants or housewives at the disposal of their counterparts. 

There are many ways a person can interpret gender/social functions, but most of the time, there is two central discourse of thoughts: Emic and Etic. From an etic perspective, this behaviour exhibits gender inequality, especially in a present-day context. Yet, from an emic perspective, one can say that the creation narratives justify or foreshadow why there is gender inequality to this day. While most people are quick to assume myths as “false” or “old” history, they have proven to be prevalent due to their approach to current social issues such as gender. 

Conclusion: Shaping Contemporary Times 

“Creation or origin myths explain how the world came to be in its present form, and often position “the cultural group telling the myth” as the first people or the “true” people (“Myth” 284). Such sacred stories, or narratives, concern where people and the things of their world come from, why they are here, where they are going. Myths and mythology express a culture’s worldview: a people’s conceptions and assumptions about humankind’s place in nature and the universe, and the limits and workings of the natural and spiritual world.” (Agatucci, 2010, sect. 3) 

I choose this excerpt as it summarizes what origin myths are and, to an extent, touches on the social impact on worldviews. I think it is easy to dismiss narrative stories as “myths and mythology.” But what it means a “myth” in one culture is another’s religious beliefs. I like how Agatucci implies that myths are still relevant today by mentioning that mythology is a “cultural worldview.” Myth has “sustaining power,” meaning that these myths do not go extinct. Instead, they are passed down for generations with the intentional or unintentional purpose of shaping our underlying social structures. As implied in the excerpt, everything about myths can impact how we behave and act despite these myths being spoken generation ago. To conclude the blog, I will draw on a real-world example from my personal life that demonstrates a myth’s “sustaining power.”  

While I take pride in considering myself a Canadian, I must acknowledge the other half of my identity- my Chinese roots. I am aware that there are Eastern Asian countries that still believe in a two-part model. According to some Eastern Asian creation myths, Heaven and Earth were created by light and dark power that live in harmony. Nowadays, this philosophy is represented by the Yin Yang symbol, a symbol in many religions such as Daoism and Taoism. From what I know, Daoism and Taoism are well-practiced in Eastern Asian countries. What started as a creation narrative evolved into the centrepiece of a religion explaining a way of life for an entire nation. It is safe to come to the conclusion that myths impact us in so many ways and in more ways than we are led to believe; this is the true power of myths!